Dude Esterbrook

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

Thanks very much for the clarification.  The term "dude" (an effete young, brainless man imitating what he considered to be refined British customs in dress and speech) was catapulted from relative obscurity to prominence just a year earlier, viz. in 1883  My guess is that Dude Esterbrook did not particularly care for his nickname, although maybe this is a parallel to Yogi Berra. IIRC, Berra objected to the name Yogi (a reporter observed that he walked like a yogi and gave him the nickname based on this).  When Berra noticed that the fans shouted the nickname at him in genuine affection, he relented and accepted it (not that he could have done anything about it anyway.)

Gerald Cohen

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From: TAXMANBILL at aol.com [mailto:TAXMANBILL at aol.com]
Sent: Tue 10/31/2006 1:36 PM
To: Cohen, Gerald Leonard
Subject: Dude Esterbrook


I took a proquest look at the Police Gazette 12 Dec 1884 in their description:

"Dude" Esterbrook covered himself in glory the past season. He is virtually the leading batsman, and is also near the top of the list as a third baseman in the American Association. His new overcoat, trimmed in sealskin, is said to be the handsomest worn by any living baseball-player, and he is correspondingly happy.

>From that item, I would guess that his nickname came from his manner of dress. The writer put Dude in quotes, strengthening a belief that Dude is not a given name.

Good luck in your hunt.

Bill Mortell
taxmanbill at aol.com

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From: Cohen, Gerald Leonard
Sent: Tue 10/31/2006 10:20 AM
To: 19cBB at yahoogroups.com
Cc: bapopik at aol.com
Subject: RE: [19cBB] Dude Esterbrook Research Help---(query)


Would anyone familiar with Dude Esterbook know how he received his nickname (I assume it's a nickname) "Dude"?  I also assume there's a story behind it.  My colleague Barry Popik and I have researched the origin of the term "dude," and this is the first instance I've come across in which the term has been applied as a name to anyone.

   Any help would be much appreciated and will be acknowledged in the item Popik and I compile on "dude"

Gerald Cohen

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